Norwegian World War II hero Gunnar Sønsteby dies aged 94 - Polidicks

[QUOTE][URL="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/world-war-ii-hero-gunnar-soensteby-dies-at-94-most-highly-decorated-norwegian/2012/05/10/gIQAPVDlFU_story.html"]WP[/URL] - OSLO, Norway — Gunnar Soensteby, a World War II resistance fighter who earned Norway’s highest military decoration for daring raids against the Nazis, has died. He was 94. The Norwegian government said Soensteby died Thursday at a hospital in Oslo. The cause of death was not announced. Soensteby was a member of Kompani Linge, a group of volunteers trained in England for secret missions during the 1940-1945 Nazi occupation of Norway. The group carried out spectacular sabotage raids against factories, railroads and fuel supplies to hamper the German war effort. Soensteby also led the smuggling of money printing plates from Norway’s central bank to the exiled government in London. In 1946, he received the War Cross with three swords for his bravery, Norway’s highest decoration. No other Norwegian has received the medal with three swords. “Gunnar Soensteby has a proud place in our modern history,” Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. The funeral will be held at the government’s expense, the prime minister said. Information on survivors was not immediately available.[/QUOTE]

Rest in peace, hero. Curious, I wonder what the cause of death is.

[QUOTE=themodtester;35902837]Curious, I wonder what the cause of death is.[/QUOTE] He was 94 so probably a heart attack or similar.

[QUOTE=mac338;35902874]He was 94 so probably a heart attack or similar.[/QUOTE] No, he slept quietly into the night.

Rest in peace Kjakan.

Wonder when the last WWII veteran will die? I know the last WWI vet went a few years ago.

[QUOTE=FFStudios;35905080]Wonder when the last WWII veteran will die? I know the last WWI vet went a few years ago.[/QUOTE] Wasn't the last WWI vet an elderly woman who went a few months ago?

[QUOTE=FFStudios;35905080]Wonder when the last WWII veteran will die? I know the last WWI vet went a few years ago.[/QUOTE] there's quite a lot of ww2 vets still alive, and there's still a few ww1 vets, but i don't think there's any left who fought in both wars.

[QUOTE=FFStudios;35905080]Wonder when the last WWII veteran will die? I know the last WWI vet went a few years ago.[/QUOTE] If a person who joined the army in 1945 when he/she was 16 lives to be 110 years - a realistic high estimate with slight medical advances - then 2039. That's what my bet's on. The last WW1 veteran turned 110.

[QUOTE=mac338;35905212]If a person who joined the army in 1945 when he/she was 16 lives to be 110 years - a realistic high estimate with slight medical advances - then 1939. That's what my bet's on.[/QUOTE] My great grandfather was fourteen when he joined in 1945. Woooo army recruiting process.

[QUOTE=dunkace;35905181]there's quite a lot of ww2 vets still alive, and there's still a few ww1 vets, but i don't think there's any left who fought in both wars.[/QUOTE] There are no known living WW1 vets anymore. I was certain the last one was Harry Patch, but I wouldn't be surprised if what rampageturke 2 has said is true.

Heroes just don't die like that. He probably walked off into a raging blizzard and never came back. Or set sail in a knarr that went ablaze. Norwegian viking warriors.

[QUOTE=gamerman345;35905349]There are no known living WW1 vets anymore. I was certain the last one was Harry Patch, but I wouldn't be surprised if what rampageturke 2 has said is true.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]The world's last known combat veteran of World War I, Briton Claude Choules, died in Australia aged 110 in May 2011.[/QUOTE] However Florence Green wasn't a combat veteran, she was an RAF mess steward, and she died a couple months ago in February 2012, also at 110. Officially the last living WW1 veteran. [editline]10th May 2012[/editline] 2012 is officially the year the last living memories of WW1 disappeared, excluding civillians.

Well, if someone joined the military at 16 in 1945, and they live to be 110 years old, then the last WWII veteran will die in 2039.

[QUOTE=153x;35905503]Well, if someone joined the military at 16 in 1945, and they live to be 110 years old, then the last WWII veteran will die in 2039.[/QUOTE] um [QUOTE=mac338;35905212]If a person who joined the army in 1945 when he/she was 16 lives to be 110 years - a realistic high estimate with slight medical advances - then 2039.[/QUOTE]

wait fuck

War vets have my highest respect, no matter where they're from. In the end, they're just guys following orders. I heard it best in the series Brothers in Arms where he was talking about the Germans he killed and how they may have liked the same music, or sports or whatever... but what it comes down to is you protect the guy beside you and try to get home to your family. War is hell and this guy was a hero.

Reminds me of that fucking awesome movie Max Manus, a similar type hero.

[QUOTE=Galago;35907204]Reminds me of that fucking awesome movie Max Manus, a similar type hero.[/QUOTE] Yeah, you know, he was in that. [IMG]http://gfx.dagbladet.no/labrador/410/410179/4101799/jpg/active/960x.jpg[/IMG] Guy with the bike.

[QUOTE=dunkace;35905181]there's quite a lot of ww2 vets still alive, and there's still a few ww1 vets, but i don't think there's any left who fought in both wars.[/QUOTE] No. All WWI veterans are now dead. There are still hundreds of thousands of WWII veterans, however. Keep in mind that over 90 million men fought in the war.

Worth mentioning he died two days after he saw a statue of him unveiled in his birthplace. [IMG]http://gfx.nrk.no/T9qNiah6p2CdKb_vlMLl1AruRUdtzE3AiV_rZrXYZ2Uw.jpg[/IMG]